Game Day Thread Official Post Game Thread- Bears beat the Pats

[Lagaffe_07]

His last two drives ended with interceptions. He had a tipped ball at the line on each of his last four drives. That is falling apart in my book.

if Mac ended his night like that, I am guessing that is how you would describe how his night.

Good for your book

 

[VrabelJr]

BB doesn’t have any reason to not be honest so I trust him when he says the plan was to play both. I think BB and the team know Mac is significantly less than 100% and this was a way to get him some play time. BB probably thought we had a good chance regardless of QB play. The surprise was how badly our defense got handled.

 

[Rob0729]

BB doesn’t have any reason to not be honest so I trust him when he says the plan was to play both. I think BB and the team know Mac is significantly less than 100% and this was a way to get him some play time. BB probably thought we had a good chance regardless of QB play. The surprise was how badly our defense got handled.

I don't doubt he intended to play both. I am guessing he feared that when Jones' pain shot wore off in the second half, it could hinder his play. But when Belichick pulled him after three series of bad play and an interception, it just totally undermined Jones. I am afraid he may never fully recover from last night.

Last night was a move we see bad head coaches who destroy young QBs do.

I am not an anti-Belichick guy for sure, but he was so boneheaded with this situation.

 

[mike_usagisan]

BB doesn’t have any reason to not be honest so I trust him when he says the plan was to play both. I think BB and the team know Mac is significantly less than 100% and this was a way to get him some play time. BB probably thought we had a good chance regardless of QB play. The surprise was how badly our defense got handled.

I agree with this, but I also think the coaches may have been surprised by Mac's play. He was playing afraid to throw and was running instead. Then he threw a bad throw into coverage and got picked.

 

[jdlboot14]

I heard BB's comments on WEEI - it's the most defensive I've ever heard him. That is strange.
It really sounds like he's trying to control the narrative, make up for mistakes, and retro-actively commit to the idea there was a plan...
Exactly like current politicians!
But odd and disconcerting for Patriots fans.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

No one was complaining about the coaching last week.

it's lacking consistency and against a really bad team coaching looks better. We failed to run against two of the worst rushing defenses efficiently.
Mac shows exactly zero development to last year. The o-line struggles, they have been an up and down.

The issues are clear.

1. Mac is still hurt and struggling with this offense.
2. The team has a serious talent issue at LB and other areas

Agreed

 

[Ross12]

With all the attention going to the quarterbacks (somewhat deservedly), it's being overlooked perhaps just how bad the defense played against a very subpar Bears offense with a bad quarterback. 33 points (which could have been worse) and nearly 400 yards. 11-18 on 3rd downs. Fields is such a limited passer, there's really no excuse for allowing 243 rushing yards when you know its coming like that.

Not forgetting about the special teams either... I think they legitimately got beat on every single ST play.

Yeah I borderline don't care who the QB is next week because neither one will make the defense any less putrid... the Bears game did not come down to which QB played last night

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Are we really trying to argue Zappe had an equally bad game as Jones?

He came in under less than ideal circumstances and out-produced Jones. They each had one bad INT (Zappe’s other INT was a tip at the LOS that’s hard to put entirely on him).

Neither QB played well but Zappe outplayed Jones by any objective and subjective measure. Whether Jones would’ve turned it around had he played more, who knows, but BB ultimately chose to not play him after the first three series.

the fact alone that a fourth round rookie qb coming from lower competition is playing at least equally good as our second year starting qb coming from the SEC is not a good look on Mac. And despite new OC a lot of people said we are doing a lot of things like last year, just add some new elements. Especially Mac should be more on the same page with some of his weapons like both TE

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

He sounds defensive. Even if that is all true, it doesn't make sense. Mac received the "bulk" of the reps on Saturday, yet he's yanked after three drives? This sharing of the QB reps during the practice is just weird. Are we now like the Saints swapping Winston with Hill or when Raiders did it w/ Carr & Mariota?

This is just so un-Belichick. WTF is going on?

this is an excuse nothing more
as if the plan was to sit Mac after a few drives, doesn't make sense at all
if our starting qb is healthy he plays until late 4th quarter, if not than rest him and don't play him at all

 

[cupofjoe1962]

The most entertaining point of last nights game was when a fan yelled out “hey can you flip the scoreboard to the Celtics game.

That was a tough loss, but the Bears came to play & we didn’t.

The days of just showing up for an easy win are over for now. The players may have bought into the Patriots -8 hype this week because they didn’t come for a battle, and they were defeated in every aspect of the game, including coaching.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yeah I borderline don't care who the QB is next week because neither one will make the defense any less putrid... the Bears game did not come down to which QB played last night

Right… I would have been alot more pissed off about the qb stuff if we lost 17-14 or something and it was because of all the screwing around we did. But now its really only a matter of did he mess with mac psychologically and how mac responds. Guess we’ll find out soon

 

[Ross12]

Right… I would have been alot more pissed off about the qb stuff if we lost 17-14 or something and it was because of all the screwing around we did. But now its really only a matter of did he mess with mac psychologically and how mac responds. Guess we’ll find out soon

In the moment I was more concerned about the "psychology" angle, but after absorbing it for a day - I don't really care. If Mac can't handle getting pulled in his first game back after two three-and-outs and then a bad INT, he's mentally weak and not going to cut it. He needs to be able to suck it up and move on. I really don't feel like coddling him.

 

[raduray]

I wouldn't get hysterical if the Jets beat the Patriots especially after what we witnessed tonight.

Not hysterical. Fatalistic.

 

[raduray]

the only 'must' about next weeks game is to avoid being in the basement and below the Jets by the end of the season....

If you're not making the playoffs, might as well go for the draft pick.

 

[ivanvamp]

The QB mess and bad defense aside, the run game was crap.

The whole game was crap from a Pats' perspective. They didn't really do anything well last night.

 

[Love The Drake]

Have to commit to Zappe.
If Mac is the unquestioned starter the rest of the season the offense will be a nightmare.
Might as well play defense and punt.

 

[raduray]

I thought it was lonely at the Top. It is at the bottom too.

Yeah, but the bottom has a silver lining. The draft.

 

[ivanvamp]

Zappe came in with the team down by two scores and got them the lead (14-10). Then the Pats D allowed this in the next 5 drives (23 pts):
TD
FG
FG
FG
TD
Game Over.

Meanwhile the offense, after getting a 14-10 lead, did this the next five drives:

3 plays, 10 yards, fumble
3 plays, -4 yards, punt
3 plays, 8 yards, punt
8 plays, 28 yards, interception
7 plays, 36 yards, interception

So it wasn't just the defense that flopped. The offense completely went dead.

 

[raduray]

By the way, Bailey's punting is unacceptably bad for the highest paid punter in the league.

Yeah, I was wondering if he was hurt. Not just this game either.

 

[crawhammer]

BB doesn’t have any reason to not be honest so I trust him when he says the plan was to play both. I think BB and the team know Mac is significantly less than 100% and this was a way to get him some play time. BB probably thought we had a good chance regardless of QB play. The surprise was how badly our defense got handled.

I agree about the defense.

Regarding Mac, if he was "significantly less than 100%" then he shouldn't have been dressed, never mind starting the game. If Belichick used this game as an opportunity to "get Mac some playing time" then that's really dumb as well. The main point of these games is to win them. And if this season has shown us anything across the league, it's that no opponent can be taken for granted. I think Chicago sucks and Fields is a bust but the actual Patriots team (coaches and players) has a responsibility to maximize their preparation and plan to beat their opponent. Mac can get his reps in practice if that's where he's at. I don't need Mac on the field during any actual game if he's less than 100%, especially when there's a better option in Zappe.

Any "plan" of rotating quarterbacks during a game at the NFL level is a really bad plan.

Last night was a move we see bad head coaches who destroy young QBs do.

This can't be understated. And reaches beyond just last night.